Arafat inquiry like looking for 'needle in the ocean'

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The investigation into late President Yasser Arafat's death is ongoing, director of the committee responsible for the inquiry said Sunday.

Tawfiq al-Tirawi told Ma'an that a medical committee headed by Abdullah al-Basheer is undertaking research in coordination with international specialists and will brief officials on the results once investigations reach their final stages.

"We haven't initiated the investigation based on the hypothesis that Arafat was killed by poison, but we agreed to begin an investigation searching directly for the killer regardless of the medical reports which will eventually show the method of killing and name of the toxin," al-Tirawi told Ma'an.

"We are looking for a needle in the ocean," he added.

The Palestinian Authority is willing to exhume Arafat's body if required and will arrange for the late president's wife, Suha Arafat, to travel to Ramallah to aid inquiries if necessary, al-Tirawi said.

"All Palestinian people know the truth about Arafat’s death," he added, stressing that the committee needs time to get results.

Israel does not know the details of the investigation and could block the inquiry if they did, al-Tirawi said, adding that the committee will work with any Arab or international committee to reach the truth.